News

On 26 March, a “twinning” project that aims to strengthen the capacities of the Kimron Veterinary Institute (KVI) in terms of legislation, enforcement and institutional building will be launched at the KVI, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, in Beit Dagan. The project is led by Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Thomas C. Mettenleiter, President of the FLI.

New bornavirus has been discovered in variegated squirrels: Potential connection with infections in humans

18 February 2015

In the frame of investigations on three unexplained cases of encephalitis, scientists of the FLI have detected genetic material of a previously unknown bornavirus in a variegated squirrel as well as in samples of the affected patients. Further investigations on the origin, distribution and transmission of the virus have been initiated.

FLI and Institut Pasteur intensify cooperation

19 September 2014

The FLI on the Isle of Riems and the Institut Pasteur in Paris will intensify their cooperation in research and diagnosis of infectious animal diseases and zoonoses (infectious diseases which can be transmitted between humans and animals. To this end, the Presidents of both institutes, Prof. Thomas C. Mettenleiter and Prof. Christian Brechot, signed a cooperation agreement in Paris on September 19.

EU-Project strengthens Israeli veterinary diagnostic capacities

16 September 2014

Supported by the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL), the FLI and the Central Veterinary Institute of Wageningen UR (CVI) in the Netherlands successfully applied for an EU Twinning Project for strengthening the diagnostic capacities of the Israeli Kimron Veterinary Institute. On September 12, the Department for Funding and Contracts of the EU Delegation in Tel Aviv granted the project.

Research project on tumorigenesis in chickens

03 September 2014

For the next three years, the German Research Foundation (Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, DFG) will support a project on tumorigenesis in chickens. The joint project of the Free University of Berlin and the FLI will investigate the formation of tumors following infection with Marek’s disease virus (MDV), which causes considerable damage in poultry holdings worldwide.

DFG supports project on cell-autonomous defense mechanism

11 August 2014

For the next three years, the German Research Foundation (Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, DFG) will support a project of PD Dr. Michael Knittler (Institute of Immunology of the FLI) on the investigation of cell-autonomous defense mechanims of chlamydial infections. The planned investigations aim to increase the understanding of the intracellular life cycle of chlamydiae and to contribute to the development of novel strategies to control chlamydial infections. In the frame of the Priority Programme „Intracellular Compartments as Places of Pathogen-Host Interaction“ the DFG will provide funding for personnel and material expenses.

African swine fever

08 August 2014

Since the beginning of the year, 80 cases of African Swine Fever (ASF) have been detected in the Eastern European countries Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland. The most recent cases have been reported from Latvia.

African Swine Fever at the borders of the EU

25 July 2014

In July, more cases of African Swine Fever (ASF) have occurred in Latvia and Poland. In Poland, first cases in domestic pigs have been observed. Furthermore, Lithuania has reported individual cases of ASF in domestic pigs and wild boar. All infected animals were found close to the Belorussian border. The Latvian cases were registered outside of the defined restriction zones. The occurrence of these new cases does not require any modifications to the risk assessment of the Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut on a possible introduction of this animal disease from Eastern Europe.

African Swine Fever in the EU at the Belorussian border

11 July 2014

In early July, cases of African Swine Fever (ASF) have again been detected in Latvia and Poland. The EU member state Lithuania had also reported isolated cases of ASF in domestic pigs and wild boar. All infected animals were found close to the Belorussian border. The occurrence of these new cases does not require any modifications of the risk assessment of the Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut on a possible introduction of this animal disease from Eastern Europe.